# US 2014/0360137 A1 · Food product handling device, system, and related methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0360137 A1 - Document ID: US20140360137A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/298,495 - Filed: 2014-06-06 - Published: 2014-12-11 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-07 - Assignees: F.R. Drake Company - Applicants: F.R. Drake Company - Inventors: Andre RICHARDS; Thomas IVY; Keith Wayne HOPKINS; George REED - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140360137A1 ## CPC - B65B 5/08: Packaging groups of articles, the articles being individually gripped or guided for transfer to the containers or receptacles - B25J 11/0045: {Manipulators used in the food industry} - B25J 15/0061: {mounted on a modular gripping structure} - B25J 15/0616: {with vacuum} - B65B 5/06: Packaging groups of articles, the groups being treated as single articles - B65B 9/04: one or both webs being formed with pockets for the reception of the articles, or of the quantities of material - B65B 19/34: Packaging other rod-shaped articles, e.g. sausages, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws, welding electrodes - B65B 25/065: {of meat} - B65B 35/38: by suction-operated grippers - B65B 35/44: by endless belts or chains {(B65B35/405 takes precedence)} - B65G 47/918: {with at least two picking-up heads} - B65B: MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING (bundling and pressing devices for cigars A24C1/44; devices for tensioning and securing binders adapted to be supported by the article or articles to be bound B25B25/00; applying closure members to bottles, jars or similar containers B67B1/00-B67B6/00; concurrent cleaning, filling and closing of bottles B67C7/00; emptying bottles, jars, cans, casks, barrels or similar containers B67C9/00) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - B65G: TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS (packaging B65B; handling thin or filamentary materials, e.g. paper sheets or thread, B65H; cranes B66C; portable mobile or lifting or hauling appliances, e.g. hoists, B66D; devices for lifting or lowering goods for loading or unloading purposes, e.g. fork-lift trucks, B66F9/00; emptying bottles, jars, casks, barrels or similar containers, not otherwise provided for, B67C9/00; delivering or transferring liquids B67D; filling or discharging vessels for liquefied, solidified or compressed gases F17C; pipe-line systems for fluids F17D) ## Abstract A food product handling device is provided. The food product handling device can include a movable loading head having a plurality of rails and a vacuum system operatively associated with the head. In addition, a plurality of suction devices carried by the head and configured to pick up and transport a food product as the head is moved can be provided. A plurality of mounting blocks can be slidably coupled to the rails where at least one suction device is coupled to each mounting block. An actuating device can be operatively associated with the mounting blocks such that each mounting block is configured to slide between a first position and a second position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A food product handling device, comprising: a movable loading head having a plurality of rails; a vacuum system operatively associated with said head; a plurality of suction devices carried by said head and configured to pick up and transport a food product as said head is moved, wherein each suction device is coupled to said vacuum system; a plurality of mounting blocks slidably coupled to said rails, wherein at least one suction device is coupled to each mounting block; and an actuating device operatively associated with the mounting blocks such that each mounting block is configured to slide between a first position and a second position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said vacuum system comprises a plurality of vacuum generators disposed on said head; and a vacuum port coupled to each mounting block. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The device of claim 2, wherein each of the vacuum generators is operatively coupled with one suction device. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The device of claim 3, wherein a venturi tube is coupled between each vacuum generator and each vacuum port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of suction devices comprises an elastic body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein each elastic body comprises a bellow structure. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of suction devices are made of silicone. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the plurality of mounting blocks are substantially equally spaced within the housing when in the first position. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The device of claim 8, wherein said mounting blocks are arranged within said head in a first group and a second group when said mounting blocks are in the second position such that a distance between the first group and the second group is greater than a distance between mounting blocks within the first group. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein each mounting block further comprises a first groove coupled to a first rail of said head and a second groove coupled to a second rail of said head. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein said first rail and said second rail are arranged in parallel within said head. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said actuating device comprises an actuating pivot disposed on said head; and at least one actuating arm coupled to said actuating pivot, wherein said at least one actuating arm is coupled to at least two of said plurality of mounting blocks to provide actuation between the first position and the second position when a force is applied to said actuating pivot. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein said actuating device comprises an actuating pivot disposed on said head; a first actuating arm coupled to said actuating pivot, a first mounting block, and a second mounting block; and a second actuating arm coupled to said actuating pivot, a third mounting block, and a fourth mounting block, wherein said first actuating arm and said second actuating arm provide actuation between the first position and the second position when a force is applied to said activating pivot. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The device of claim 13, wherein said first mounting block, said second mounting block, said third mounting block, and said fourth mounting block are substantially equally spaced within said housing when in the first position. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The device of claim 14, wherein said first actuating arm is actuated such that said first mounting block and said second mounting block form a first group and said second actuating arm is actuated such that said third mounting block and said fourth mounting block form a second group, where a spacing between said first group and said second group is greater than a spacing between said first mounting block and said second mounting block when in the second position. ### Claim 16 A food product system, comprising: a product supply device configured to receive a food product; a conveyor system configured to receive the food product from said product supply device; and a food product handling device configured to pick up and transport a plurality of food products from said product supply device to a food product receiving device, said food product handling device comprising a movable loading head having a plurality of rails, a vacuum system operatively associated with said head, a plurality of suction devices carried by said head and configured to pick up and transport the plurality of food products as said head is moved, wherein each suction device is coupled to said vacuum system, a plurality of mounting blocks slidably coupled to said rails, wherein at least one suction device is coupled to each mounting block, and an actuating device operatively associated with said mounting blocks such that each mounting block is configured to slide between a first position associated with said conveyor system and a second position associated with said food product receiving device. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the food product receiving device comprises packaging material formed into pockets configured to receive the plurality of food products from said food product handling device. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein the product supply device comprises a hopper configured to receive the plurality of food products and a food product unscrambler configured to organize the plurality of food products prior to depositing them on said conveyor system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The system of claim 16, wherein said actuating device of said food product handling device comprises an actuating pivot disposed on said head; and at least one actuating arm coupled to said actuating pivot, wherein said at least one actuating arm is coupled to at least two of said plurality of mounting blocks to provide actuation between the first position and the second position when a force is applied to said actuating pivot. ### Claim 20 A method of handling food product comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of food products; aligning a food product handling device above the plurality of food products, wherein the food product handling device comprises a movable loading head having a plurality of rails, a vacuum system operatively associated with the head, a plurality of suction devices carried by the head and configured to pick up and transport food products as the head is moved, wherein each suction device is coupled to the vacuum system, a plurality of mounting blocks slidably coupled to the rails, wherein one suction device is coupled to one mounting block, and an actuating device operatively associated with the mounting blocks such that each mounting block is configured to slide between a first position and a second position; applying a vacuum to each suction device of the food product handling device and thereby engaging a food product with each suction device when the mounting blocks are in the first position; actuating the mounting blocks to the second position using the actuating device; and depositing the food products into packaging material by ceasing application of the vacuum at each suction device.